Happy Ending

by Chloe Liese

From USA TODAY bestselling author Chloe Liese, a clever and heartwarming rom-com that is perfect for fans of Christina Lauren and Annabel Monaghan about two best friends who must fake a relationship for their exes.

Thea and Alex have three things in common—they love food, they hate where they live, and they’re both divorced. Otherwise, they couldn’t be more different.

Thea’s never cooked a day in her life. Alex is a world-class chef. Alex resents feeling stuck in his hometown. Thea resents the town for not feeling more like home. Thea and her ex are in a contentious custody battle for their dog. Alex and his ex amicably coparent their daughter. Beyond a few friends in common, a couple small-world connections (welcome to life in a mid-size city), their lives look nothing alike. Fast forward two years, and they’re truly the best of friends. No one would ever know their friendship began as a lie…

Two years ago, their exes got together immediately following their divorces, and somehow, Thea and Alex found themselves spinning a spite-fueled story about being old friends and first loves. Two years later, what began as a ruse has grown into real friendship—just friendship, despite what friends and family seem to think. But when their exes invite them on a two-week, “two family” beach vacation—daughter and dog included—Alex and Thea start to wonder if this story they’ve spun might have gotten away from them, and if it’s led them to the last place they ever thought it could: a happy ending.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Adult, Contemporary, Friends To Lovers, Fiction, Summer

384 pages, Paperback

Expected publication April 14, 2026

About the author

Chloe is a USA Today bestselling author who writes romantic fiction reflecting her belief that everyone deserves a love story. When not dreaming up her next novel, you'll find her reading, trying new recipes, savoring nature, and soaking up time with her big, beautiful family.

Reviews

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've lost count of how many Chloe Liese books I've devoured, and honestly, I've fallen head over heels in love with every single one—writing gushing, love-letter-style five-star reviews has become my tradition. But this book? It transcends everything. It deserves a 10-star review (yes, I said it!), because in my opinion, it's the absolute best thing she's ever created, featuring inhumanly adorable main characters who inspired me to design Thea and Alex T-shirt models that I'd proudly wear every single day without shame.

I never expected to enjoy this book as much as I did. As an Aries woman, I'm notoriously impatient when it comes to slow-burn, friends-to-lovers romances—I want the passion NOW! But somehow, I kept falling deeper and deeper in love with each chapter. The story takes us on a perfect journey between past and present, masterfully weaving together the tale of two broken hearts healing, forming a genuine friendship built on trust and understanding, and sharing quirky conversations that made me laugh so hard my sides hurt. And those cuddle scenes? They were even steamier than any explicit love-making scenes, in my opinion—the emotional intimacy was off the charts!

The storyline of forming friendship and falling in love while switching couples has been executed before—Colleen Hoover explored it in All Your Perfects (which started with catching cheating partners) and Emily Henry touched on it in Funny Story—but I absolutely loved Happy Endings' approach to this sensitive, triangle-vibed storyline so much more! The perfect twist? There was never actually a love triangle in this story, which made it even better!

Meet Thea: quirky, easygoing, kind-hearted bookstore owner who recently divorced after a decades-long marriage to someone she literally grew up with. She's now sharing custody of their beloved dog Argos and trying to rebuild her life. Then there's Alex: a smoking-hot chef who also recently divorced from Jen, and they're sharing custody of their precious little daughter Mia. These two form an unconventional friendship that lasts two years after discovering their exes started dating each other. In a moment of petty revenge (we've all been there!), they lie and claim they were old friends—even first flames—to save face.

What they don't count on is that their lie could transform into truth as they spend increasingly intimate time together. They're determined never to cross that delicate line between friendship and romance, but when their exes summon them to spend a holiday weekend at a beach house for a "special gathering," reality hits hard. This might mean their exes are moving forward—possibly creating a blended family—which feels a little scary, especially when Thea's ex Ethan proves himself to be a total douche, and Alex's ex Jen seems nervous and awkward at their encounters.
One thing is crystal clear: Thea has been falling for Alex for a long time. But will she risk their precious friendship, especially when things are about to get even more complicated with their ex-partners involved? Should she wait forever for "better circumstances," or is waiting just going to cost her more than friendship because of her fears? And what if—just what if—Alex feels exactly the same way about her?

Overall: I loved Thalex as the perfect couple! I enjoyed this book so immensely that it's become one of my favorite romances of 2026. It absolutely deserves 10 stars, and I wholeheartedly, enthusiastically recommend it to anyone who loves slow-burn romance, found family dynamics, second chances at love, and characters who feel like your best friends.

A very huge, heartfelt thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for sharing this amazing romance's digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts!

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[alana ☁️]

another reason for me to keep living

[Fernanda (ivyfer_isreading) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Happy ending is a dual timeline book about two divorced people who get close because their ex-partners started dating. There's a little bit of fake dating if you squint, but it's not a big part of the story. Thea works in a bookstore and is very anxious™ and Alex is a very good chef, that means I spent the entire book hungry(I'm serious). Alex has a daughter with his ex-wife and I love how she was a big part of the story. Sometimes in this type of book the kid is just there but here I feel like Chloe did the right thing here, especially with the FMC’s past. 
I LOVED the friendships, Thea has two best friends and even though Alex is the one that develops into a romance, her other friendship is just as important and crucial to the plot. It's refreshing. 
I only have one critique: the ending. Happy ending is a VERY slow burn, which isn't a bad thing, but it happened too fast and it had a little conflict that was completely unnecessary. If the fight was important to the author she should've left a little more time to work with that, having a conflict at 96% is not it. But that's just a small part of the book, I still enjoyed the other 90% of it. 

Thank you Edelweiss and Gallery Books for the ARC. 

[✨Poppy✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this. Full stop.

Chloe Liese truly knows how to write a rom-com, and this book is such a perfect example of why her stories work so well.

Thea and Alex have almost nothing in common except divorce, complicated feelings about their hometown, and a shared love of food and yet their connection makes complete sense. What starts as a spite-fueled lie to irritate their exes slowly grows into a genuine, deeply comforting friendship. And wow, did I adore watching that friendship unfold.

The fake backstory, the found family vibes, the dog custody drama, the co-parenting rep, the forced proximity beach vacation… every rom-com trope was here, and every single one worked. The chemistry felt natural, the emotional beats landed, and the humor was spot on.

I also really appreciated the dual timelines. They added depth without ever feeling confusing I was never lost, just more invested in how these two went from a lie to something real.

Warm, funny, heartfelt, and incredibly satisfying. If you’re looking for a rom-com that delivers on both the comedy and the romance, Chloe Liese absolutely nailed it!!!

Thank you NetGalley & Gallery Books for the ARC!

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Friends to lovers, slooooow burn perfection. Chloe makes us work for the HEA in this one but I didn't even care that the MCs don't get together until past the 90% mark. The lead up and emotional investment that Alex and Thea put into their accidental friendship was everything. Brought together thanks to their exes, divorced Alex and Thea meet when they both show up at Thea's ex-husband's house, her to get her dog, him to get his daughter.

I really loved Thea, how she was working on fighting for what she wanted both in life and love and single dad, chef, Alex, who was learning how to maintain a balance with work and being the best dad he could be. I'm so used to the author writing characters who have significant disabilities of some sort, I was a little surprised that we don't learn or that it's only really hinted at that Thea might have undiagnosed ADHD until very late in the book.

That aside, I liked how this story was told through flashbacks to when Alex and Thea first meet and the early years of their friendship and then the present, where Thea is working up the courage to risk losing her friendship with Alex to confess her love for him and take a chance on an even deeper love. Alex and Chloe created an enviable little found family and I loved how much Chloe loved books, Alex's daughter Mia and that she co-managed an indie bookstore in Portland, while Alex was a successful Italian chef.

Highly recommended for fans of People we meet on vacation by Emily Henry or Just our luck by Denise Williams. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review. This was more about the friendship and being there for one another during tough times than about their physical relationship but it just felt like a big hug of a book and I enjoyed it immensely!

[SJARR ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I may have a case of not knowing how to feel. I liked this, but at times I was just a little bothered. I think it is good enough to deserve the round up though.

I think the writing style was a real saving point for me.
This is written in a way that isn’t overly intense, or overly basic, if you can imagine that.
It is somewhere in between, with depth, but without being overwhelmingly depressing or heavy.
There is also a lot of dialogue, which a lot of the times are just seemingly random conversations and banter between the characters. I liked this!
It brought somewhat of a casual element into things, and made for good bonding and relationship building.
This is also set up with “then” and “now” chapters, which is a lovely way to get a lot of backstory in.

As for the characters, we have Alex and Thea- who became close after discovering that their former spouses were now dating each other.
I thought they made a good match, and I liked seeing the way that they grew together over time.

Thea is someone that readers are supposed to feel bad for.
and I do! I do feel bad for her.
She clearly came out of a marriage with someone that did not care about her enough, and someone that wasn’t making her happy. She deserved way better! (her ex was really crappy in a number of ways)
But, she maybe loses me just slightly when she starts talking about how he “stole motherhood” from her, by saying he wasn’t ready to have kids. (This is a very major plot point throughout the whole book)
I don’t want to say too much on it. I know it was difficult for her, especially given the current circumstances. I swear, I sympathize! but… I just think I could have done without that specific phrasing maybe.
I think it was supposed to make me more attached to her, but dare I say it almost did the opposite.

As for Alex, I think he was a fine character.
One thing I can appreciate, is the way that he accepted some fault for his previous marriage failing. He talks about how by the time he realized that he needed to give his wife more- it was already too late.
I think this is something a lot of people probably wouldn’t be willing to admit, so kudos to him for recognizing his individual part in where things went wrong- and being able to learn and grow from that.
Aside from that, I found him to be sort of a basic character. Not much else was too notable for me, but it was fine.

Random note:
- Did we need several mentions of flatulence?
- I like the side characters
- I have never read an Emily Henry book before, so, don’t take my word for it. But, this is sort of gave me a vibe that I expect those to have.
- I like this cover. Summer vibes for the win.

It is a good story overall.
I wish I had been able to connect with/like the main characters a bit more, but I did like the plot as a whole, and It kept me entertained.

Thank you to Netgalley, Gallery Books and author Chloe Liese, for providing me with the eARC of “Happy Ending”, in exchange for my honest review!
Publication date: April 14, 2026

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chloe Liese… how dare you write such a beautiful story about grieving a relationship and learning to pick yourself back up again???

I am genuinely in awe of this book, not just the writing (and yes, I love her unapologetic use of big words), but the way she presents the story. Watching Thea and Alex navigate their messy, painful breakups, and then seeing their exes get together, was heartbreaking.

But seeing these two find each other, become friends, lean on one another, learn from each other, and eventually grow into something more… it’s just gorgeous. Their friendship is so pure and genuine. The chemistry and tension are absolutely there, but it’s the foundation of friendship, the care, the gentleness, the emotional safety — that makes their love story shine.

One of my favorite things about this book is how the female characters are written. We’re conditioned to villainize Jen — she’s dating Thea’s ex-husband, after all, but Chloe Liese refuses to make her a caricature. She humanizes her, gives her depth, gives her a past and motivations. No one is flattened into “the other woman.” Everyone gets to be a person.

This book is also such a powerful reminder that being in your 30s isn’t “too late.” Both Thea and Alex are divorced, both are at low points in their lives, and yet they still find something beautiful, healing, and hopeful. I love stories that show life doesn’t end at 30, that you can start over at any age, whether you’re in your 30s, 40s, or beyond.

And as a book lover… this book absolutely hit me in the heart. It’s a love letter to stories, to comfort reads, to the magic of bookstores. Thea genuinely made me want to quit my job and go work in an indie bookshop in a small town.

Thank you, Gallery Books, for the eARC!

[ash (smokedshelves)]

*still* holding out hope this is sapphic!!

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall, I'd give this book 5 stars, it was heartfelt, sweet, and I loved it! While this book is categorized as a romance, it's not your "typical" romance, I would say this book is more about friendship and self-discovery. (Spoiler!) The friends don't become lovers until ~90%. It was such a sweet story and journey between Thea and Alex, I wouldn't want it any other way. This book was heavy at times, but not in a depressing way, Chloe did a fantastic job turning lemons into lemonade. I'm also a huge fan of strong female friendships and I LOVED Lo and her friendship with Thea.

*Friends to lovers
*Slow burn
*Friendship
*Dual timeline (now and 2 years ago)
*Divorce trauma

Format: ebook

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Chloe Liese, and Gallery Books for the ARC!!

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alex and Thea are two divorcees whose ex-partners are dating each other. To save face, they spin a story that they’re old friends/first loves even though they have just met each other. It turns into a genuine friendship that evolves over the course of 2 years.

This book had me giggling. I adored both main characters, as well as the side characters (Ethan… absolutely not). It’s told from a dual timeline POV, and the tropes ( friends to lovers, slow burn, a touch of fake dating) were right up my alley. Parts of it even gave me When Harry Met Sally vibes in the best way.

I breezed through it and just loved watching Alex and Thea’s friendship deepen and unfold. It’s charming, warm, and overall such a fun, sweet read.

Thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[maddie's reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Gallery and NetGalley for the arc!

4.35 stars

This was a really fun romance! I always love Chloe Liese's books, and this was no different. I liked the premise of the book, and I really liked both Thea and Alex. I picked this up after watching the PWMOV movie, and it was the perfect choice for something emotional and summery. It was told in a dual-POV timeline, and I really enjoyed it! I loved watching Thea and Alex grow individually, and watching their relationship strengthen and grow over the two years the story flashed between. I did think that some of the 'then' sections were a bit long, but the book was overall pretty fast-paced, and I read it in a few sittings. Overall, I really liked this book, and would definitely recommend it (along with everything else Chloe Liese has written)! I can't wait to read whatever she writes next :)

[Gianna Guido · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Gallery books for the early copy of this book! I loved it so much!

From the very start, this book had me feeling all the feels! I was so overwhelmed with the betrayal of Thea and Alex’s exes. I was so pleased with how the story began and as it progressed it was so satisfying to see them shiv it to their exes.

All of the swooning, pining and yearning between the two characters was so good and the banter was top tier.

Chloe Liese did a great job and idk I’ve to read more of her books!

[Elle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thea and Alex are best friends. That's what they tell their families, their exes, and themselves. Except it's a bald-faced lie. In their two year friendship, Thea has been in love with Alex for about 85% of it, but she's not willing to risk how perfect her life is with him in it. Thea can live with being friends who cuddle and text everyday just fine..

Until one day when Alex and Thea exes (who are dating and how Alex and Thea met) announce a "two-family" vacation for them all to spend time together with Alex's daughter Mia because of "an important family development" that is coming. Change is happening around Thea and she can either face her fears and take reach for the love and future she wants or risk losing it. This friends-to-lovers is filled with witty banter, a cute kid, and meditates on how to break ones hesitation to fall fully in love.

[liz ౨ৎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a sweet read, and I absolutely adored it.

The flashback chapters didn’t really do much for me, if I’m being completely honest. However, they did not take away from the story.

I felt that the pacing was done very well. When the chapters switched from past to present, it felt appropriate.

The only issue I foresee people having with this book is how long it takes for them to get together. But I personally feel that the slow burn is so important to Thea and Alex’s relationship. We get to see their friendship grow from being “just friends” into something more.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Um, is this my favorite Chloe Liese book? Yes, yes it is. I really thought that her Bergman Bros were peak for me, but no. Meeting Thea and Alex, the way she wrote their story, was the most beautiful thing I’ve read this year. Just… I loved everything about it.

[Gentry Thomson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an unexpected delight. Much like the bright cover, the friendship between Ted and Alex brought me so much joy. We need more friendship-first sweet and slow love stories like this.

[Alex Lynch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Big thanks to Gallery Books for the ARC of this one! I have read quite a few Chloe Liese books in the past and loved them all. This one was very different than the ones that I have read but I think I loved it even more. The book follows Theodora, a bookstore manager, on the heels of a divorce in her mid 30s. She was married for a long time and the divorce has left her reeling, When she unexpectedly meets Alex, a famous chef, while walking to pick up her beloved golden retriever from her ex husband, they quickly realize that their exes are together. They enter into a very real friendship that looks a lot like they are dating to their exes. The two are so different but very compatible in a lot of ways and they help to pick each other up from the turmoil that divorce causes. The book goes back and forth between timelines, spanning the entirety of their two year friendship. The friendship that they hold so close to their hearts always has a little bit more boiling under the surface, but they are both too scared to do anything about it. When they get invited on a beach trip with their exes and Alex's daughter who are still together, everything finally comes to a head. Alex and Thea's relationship is so incredibly sweet and I found myself continuing to read to finally see that slow burn pay off. This book has incredible emotional depth and I was rooting for them to realize that the love they have is worth the risk. A beautiful and imperfect love story that I will be thinking about for a long time! Five stars for sure!

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hey NetGalley, thanks for the ARC! 👋

Wow, November is starting off strong with another great ARC.

This book was entirely based off of an impractical situation that turned into a whirlwind friendship turned romance and it was a page turner. 🤌🏼

The vibes were certainly giving Funny Story but in a much different light and slower pace which made it feel completely original. Really, how many times can 2 couples break up and naturally find the other attractive like Joe Fox, Kathleen Kelly, Frank Navasky, and Patricia Eden in ‘You’ve Hot Mail’? At least in this book (as in Funny Story) it’s done in a revenge sort of way that leads to an actual friendship.

I love friendship. And the emphasis on theirs made me love this book. However, the final outcome certainly gives evidence that guys and girls can’t ever be solely best friends.

This book progressed on a dual timeline. The present day and 2 years prior, when everyone’s divorce is fresh and our two main characters are healing (and becoming too attached to each other for “friendship”). I actually preferred their friendship in the present timeline. It felt more healthy and as though it had better boundaries in place than the fresh friendship from 2 years prior.

[Chelsea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not gonna lie to you, the cover is what grabbed me first. The pop of yellow, the vibes, the instant lust. I know it’s a flaw, I’m way too trusting of cute covers, but honestly? Chloe does it justice.

I was a little nervous going in because we jump straight into past vs. present, and that format can absolutely ruin a book if it isn’t done right. But Chloe nailed it. The push and pull between timelines works perfectly to show how Thea and Alex’s relationship actually built itself. Their story is adorable, but definitely not simple. One little white lie snowballs into something way bigger, and watching it unfold? Chef’s kiss drama.

These two form a close bond so fast, ugh, melt my heart why don’t you. Alex giving her a nickname right away? Thea finally having someone she can be emotional with? I was DONE.

And listen…Thea is me. A gas-station-hot-dog-lovin’ queen. Alex being a devoted dad? Adorable. Thea and her dog? I ate that up too.

It’s such a cute, slow-burn friends-to-lovers, and I genuinely loved almost every minute of it, except whenever Ethan showed up. Ethan is an idiot and fully deserved everything that came his way. No notes.

And can we talk about Lauren, Thea’s best friend? I loved her. She’s so present while somehow not being too present… I smell a sequel. 😏

[grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Special thanks to Gallery Books for sharing this reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest opinions!

What do you do when you run into your ex-husband's new girlfriend's ex-husband on the front porch of your ex-husband's house? You become best friends of course. Through years of grieving, healing, and building a new life apart from their spouses, Alex and Thea build a friendship out of the rubble of their lives that is so incredibly heartfelt, emotional, and downright raw. But when Thea realizes that this friendship with Alex is more than just that, and refuses to jeopardize everything between them for something as silly as trying out a real relationship between them, she soon learns that she can only keep a hold on her feelings for Alex for so long.

Alex and Thea are the type of characters that draw on every piece of heartbreak, pain, and resentment you have ever felt and display them in such in authentic and beautiful way. Both of them were beautifully flawed characters that loved each other because of each and every one of their flaws. They never once hid from each other, aside from of course the fact that the love they felt for one another was more than just friendly love. Even with all of the small glimmers of romance you see between them, at the core of this story is a stunning display of caring for someone, in every possible way, no matter what they need. Chloe Liese does a phenomenal job of portraying how two very broken people can help each other heal through Thea and Alex, and I loved every second of it.

[Dawson Sprinkle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read and enjoyed some of Liese's other work, Only and Forever comes to mind specifically, but this one just didn't do it for me.

The story is split into two pieces, with some chapters being set two years before the main story, and some chapters set in the present. Generally, I don't mind books that do this, but both halves of the story have to be equal in quality otherwise it really stands out. In the case of Happy Ending, I found myself enjoying the chapters in the present quite a lot, but really slogging through the chapters set two years in the past. Something about them just didn't quite grab me, I guess.

My other complaint with this book is the very quick third act conflict. Blessedly, it's very short, unfortunately it's also really unreasonable. Basically, the characters have a rough day and when Thea decides she would rather wait to talk to Alex about their relationship. Alex really wants to have this conversation and gets unreasonably upset when Thea doesn't. Thea then backs down and is like "okay that's fine, if you want to talk about this now that's okay, it just wasn't my preference" and then Alex responds basically like "Well why is it always about you? What about what I think?" Which is so out of the blue and out of character for him. It would make more sense coming from Thea's ex-husband who IS a manchild and WOULD throw a hissy fit like this (he does like two pages beforehand.) This interaction felt INCREDIBLY jarring to me, which is unfortunate because the rest of the last few chapters are pretty good.

Generally, the beginning chunk is great and enjoyable, the final section is also really great if you ignore their weird fight, and the middle section of the book seems to struggle a bit. I do think this book will do well, and I think most people will like it more than me. I did enjoy this book, just not as much as I wanted.

[M Soh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for providing this book, with my honest review below.

Happy Ending is everything I love in my romance (and comedy), it was a lovely soft read that puts the reader in the happiest of places. While best friends Thea and Alex didn’t start their friendship in a traditional way given a lie to their newly coupled up exes brought them together, their friendship is everything one would wish for. As we learn about its start we also see them learn they’re going on a family vacation with their exes (I could never) and in turn reach a point where their gentle friendship has to be addressed for the more it could become with a little bit of courage.

I loved this, and I am so sure others will too as it’s the most comfortable of books. Whether you’re going through your own breakup or just want a little safe place amongst your main characters, Chloe Liese has created the most welcoming environment in a book.

[Kara DiFilippo Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75⭐️

If I had a nickel for everytime I read a friends-to-lovers book where a MMC named Alex has back problems, I would have two nickels. Which isn’t a lot, but it’s weird that it happened twice

Anyways, that random note out of the way, I really liked this! I appreciate that Chloe Liese really took her time with building Thea and Alex’s platonic AND romantic love for each other. It made it so easy to want to root for them and get invested. Plus I love a slow burn! I also liked their “invisible string”-esque moments in the flashbacks where it makes it seem inevitable that they would be drawn together one way or another.

Definitely would recommend!

Thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

[Caroline Messing · Rating 4 out of 5]

an absolutely adorable friends to lovers with two characters i truly loved.

thea and alex are best friends…but how they got there was a bit unconventional. when their ex-spouses begin dating, the only solution is to fake date each other, right? from their first encounter thea and alex can tell they are going to be great friends, but as time goes on and their chemistry builds, is the dating all that fake any longer?

this book was hilarious and comforting at the same time. i could really relate to thea as a book lover and her awkwardness at times was so wholesome and funny. also, her standing up to her crappy ex husband literally had me fist pumping.

alex was effortlessly sexy and whitty. i loved how protective he was of thea and his relationship with his daughter was so sweet. also, I know it was supposed to be an insult but him being described as a tom selleck doppelgänger?! yes please.

if you are a fan of friends to lovers, dual timeline, and fake dating then this is the next romance for you.

[Megan Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another knockout from one of my faves

[alicebme]

Slow slow burn. Idealistic and healthy. Therapist-friendly.

[Asha Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ Predictable but cute!

[Mary Claire (mc_readsalot) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't love the writing on this one!!! Too many speeches, too many mid-conversation internal epiphanies, and the stakes weren't high enough for me to really care.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars This was such a tender friends-to-loves story, full of slow burn yearning over the course of two years. It was told in dual timeline — the present day and significant moments of the past two years in Thea and Alex’s friendship.

Thea and Alex had an awkward first meeting on the doorstep of Thea’s ex-husband’s house, Thea there to pick up her dog and Alex there to pick up his daughter from his ex-wife…who unbeknownst to either of them was Thea’s ex’s new girlfriend. A little fib turned into a genuine friendship and becoming an important part of each other’s lives. The friendship between the two of them seemed like it was so healing and so healthy for both of them. They were both hurting but also both used that hurt and experience from their previous relationships in a way that allowed them to communicate better and more honestly with each other. Despite trying to maintain a strictly platonic friendship, it was abundantly clear that they were falling in love. And honestly? One of the things I loved most was that they both knew it but had their own reasons for not pushing the boundary. Thea was afraid and Alex was full of respect for her needing the time to sort through that. He was a man who truly saw her and valued her and was willing to keep her in his life however he could without pressuring her or rushing her.

I also really loved Alex’s daughter, Mia. She and Thea had some wonderful conversations that really showed Thea’s character. The added element of Mia’s mother and Alex’s efforts to be a solid co-parent added even more depth to both Alex’s character and Thea’s in how she viewed, encouraged, and respected that relationship. There was so much about the dynamic involving Mia that really shaped the overall story. She was not just a kid character thrown in for some manufactured drama or challenge.

The dual timeline can be a hit or miss for me, and while I’m always going to want more time in the present, it really worked here to really explore how Thea and Alex fell in love over time. It made it make sense when the moment comes in the present without actually spending a *ton* of time there because it’s been two years in the making. Some things felt a tiny bit rushed and packed into the end, but it was a really lovely, well-rounded journey to their happy ending.

Thank you to Gallery for the eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Margaret Retsema · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve got strong opinions on a lot of different topics about this book. I read it very fast, which is how I know this could have been a five star read for me if it weren’t for some egregious writing choices.

I’ll start with the good: Alex is just about the hottest and most appealing MMC I’ve read about in a while. Tall dark handsome fit Italian chef, a man recognizing benefits of therapy, hello??, an awesome dad, great romance partner (if ever allowed-more on that later). The plot of this book-great. Set up-great, but this book is somewhat ruined by its back-and-forth timeline. If it was linear, this would have been a thousand times easier to comprehend. The narrator/FMC mentioned things in “current” timeline that they hadn’t yet described in the “past” timeline (such as ‘our kiss’) so many times that I kept thinking “did I miss that???”

The FMC is a complete non-committal tease. It’s a cold day in hell before I ever side with a man in a relationship, but she led this boy on for literal years. If you’re into romance novels that seem outrageously unrealistic with how long people (in this case, the FMC) deny being romantically into each other complete with full on body cuddling and telling each other ‘I love you’, this one might be for you!

She’s also another one of those FMCs who can’t seem to make any confident choices to save her life until her boss-bitch New York classy lesbian best friend builds up her confidence. In the end, of course she’s ✨learned to be brave ✨.

My final petty criticism is several romantic moments were interjected with a gastrointestinal/flatulence joke or gross name calling. I’m in my late 30s reading novels for romance. I don’t want to hear this.

HOWEVER. Despite all these misery laden criticisms, the story is good. Alex is a GEM. I’m glad he finally stood up to Thea at the end, even if it felt a bit out of character. Thea battles some demons as always and those demons screw off in the end. The little kid in the middle of the story gets cared for by all the people that matter. I don’t feel like any of my time was wasted. I know there are romance readers out there who adore slow burn and really believe (know?) that people out there torture themselves in loves like this. May that love never find me. I just desperately wish it was LINEAR.